Find out how the garden grows
in the Heart of England

British gardens offer much more than a chance to stroll around tulips and roses. Take the newly refurbished Trenthem Gardens, set on 750 acres of Staffordshire countryside in the Heart of England. You can take your pick of formal garden displays in the finest English tradition, take a hike in 400 acres of picturesque woodlands, or even take part in a challenging ropes course that will have you swinging, climbing and sliding between obstacles forty feet above the forest floor. Gardens of all shapes and sizes thrive in the countryside of the Heart of England. Friend Wendy is active with a local charity called the National Garden Scheme, which publishes a booklet that points out various gardens all over the regions. Oftentimes, she notes, you can meet the garden owner and take away tips that will help you with your own patch of green.

Discover Birmingham’s Hidden Gems

A bit like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, Cadbury World could bring out the kid in anyone, and draws fans young and old to Birmingham each year. But the city is also host to a number of treasures beyond the confectionary powerhouse. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a magnet for concerts of international renown: during any given season, you can see a performance by a renowned talent from China, Australia or India. Love, betrayal, and sublime artistry come alive on the stage of the Royal Birmingham Ballet, where classical works of dance are performed by a world-class touring company. And for another exciting cultural excursion, Friend Christina suggests Birmingham’s Chinatown, writing that it’s “a wonderful place for a good meal, a night out and a bit of people watching.”